Dishonorable discharge for Army Captain

5 January 2014 09:04 am - 10 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A General Court Martial (GCM) of the Army, has imposed a two-year rigorous imprisonment plus dishonorable discharge from the Army on a Captain A.M.U Samarakoon of Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force for bringing the Army into disrepute by attempting to rob the National Savings Bank at Mahaiyyawa, Kandy on 6 February 2013, disguised as a Muslim female.

The Army Headquarters said in a statement that , “Considering solely the military aspects of the attempted crime, this is the first time in the Army history a member of the Army was tried and convicted in a GCM while his case is still on hearing before a Civil Court in Kandy.”

To be in line with ‘zero tolerance’ policy of the Commander of the Army on Army wrongdoers, the tribunal was convened in November and went on for five days under the provisions (109 & 129) of the Army Act, it said.

The GCM was comprised of Brigadier N.D Wanniarachchi (President), Colonel M.A.A.D Sirinaga, Lieutenant Colonel R.A.D.S Shantha and Major J.M.A.I Gunasekara as members. Brigadier Upali Weerasinghe presided as the Judge Advocate General in the GCM while prosecution was conducted by Lieutenant Colonel J Waidyadasa under the direction of Brigadier Ranjith Rajapathirana, Chief Prosecutor of the Army and Director, Legal Services. Attorney-at-law Ranabahu Perera defended the accused Captain during hearing.

In previous instances, the practice was to suspend Army personnel, charged before Civil Courts during the pendency of the case and re-instate, if one is acquitted by the Civil Court.

The convicted Captain A.M.U Samarakoon, attached to an Army institute at Kotmale, was arrested by the Police on 6 February 2013 for his attempted robbery of Rs 3 million from the National Savings Bank, Mahaiyyawa, dressed as a Muslim woman.

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Comments - 10

Fernando Sunday, 05 January 2014 09:41 AM

According to the bank, he got caught because he forgot to trim his eyebrows.

UN-Predict Sunday, 05 January 2014 09:41 AM

What do you mean by discharge dishonorably? Please explain how.

Perumal Sunday, 05 January 2014 09:57 AM

moral of the story: Do not get caught!

Samare Sunday, 05 January 2014 12:36 PM

At least one out of the thousands is being punished.

jamalji Sunday, 05 January 2014 01:08 PM

Hijab is a traditional dress of jews who wear during occasions. In quran, Allah says in 24,31 to draw veil over the bossoms of females and in another place to strenghthen the dress of females (area not speciafied) Hijab is not a Muslim dress which is worn by females due to compulsion by men, Muslims must belive only quran.

jamalji Sunday, 05 January 2014 02:16 PM

This offence was committed under a Muslim dress called hijab (Burga) It was introduced in Sri Lanka by Saudi fundementalists in 1990s., It is not suitable to Sri Lanka as there is no sand storm. It segregates a community. It prevents identification of the wearer, It is not is not a Muslim dress, Quran wants females to cover only their bossoms only.

Lanka Shantha Sunday, 05 January 2014 03:02 PM

Geneva syndrome.

sss Sunday, 05 January 2014 03:11 PM

Hey captain, if you went through the political channels you could have got a "loan" (wink wink) like many politically connected have done already

Tilak Fernando Sunday, 05 January 2014 03:45 PM

This shows the danger of covering the face and head like how moslem women do when entering banks. They must show full face otherwise any woman can cover herself and impersonate another.uAgbva

investigator Monday, 06 January 2014 06:19 AM

it is a very light punishment.did all these actions to give this punishment ???.

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Dishonorable discharge for Army Captain

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